Ice tray



Jan. 16, 1940.

[ ATTORNEY.

' PatentedJan. 16, 1940 PATENT. OFFICE 2,187,141 ICE TRAY Sven W. E. Andersson, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation 0! Delaware Original application October 2'], 1933, Serial No.

695,398. Divided and this application September 19, 1936, Serial No. 101,568

14 Claims. (Cl. 62-108-5) This invention relates to ice trays or the like for use in household refrigerators, and constitutes a division of my application Serial No. 695,398, filed October 27, 1933, which became Patent No. 2,098,850'on November 9, 1937.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for facilitating and simplifying the removal of ice trays after the contents of the same have been frozen.

The invention, together with the objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and of which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a cooling unit and an ice tray placed therein; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 31s a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification of the invention.

20 Referring to the drawing, an evaporator or cooling unit III of a household refrigerator (not shown) is refrigerated in any desired manner. The cooling unit It may be provided with one or more tray receiving compartments, only one of which is shown, in which anice tray I I is placed for freezing the contents of the same. The tray II includes a receptacle body I! at the front end of which is provided two bent over extended portions or abutments to which a tray front I3 may be secured by bolts or other fastening elements l5. This structure is formed at the time of stamping the tray, the material at each side of the tray being cut along a line indicated at IS in order to provide a triangularreenforcement at each front outer corner of the tray. The front wall of thetray is bent to provide a flange having the downward depending outer portion thereof bearing against the rear surface of the tray front I3.

The tray II rests on the lower horizontal portion or shelf I9 of the cooling unit with the broad .flat bottom of the tray in thermal contact with the shelf to provide a good heat conductive path for removal of heat through the tray and shelf. When the tray is filled with water, moisture on thebottom of the tray freezes and forms an ice bond between the bottom of the tray and the shelf which must be broken in order to remove the tray from the cooling unit.

In accordance with this invention an improved device is provided for breaking the ice bond which is formed between the bottom of a tray and the shelf of. a cooling unit upon which it is placed. Referring to Fig. 2, the device shown includes a spring II which is arranged in an upright position at the front wall 24 of the receptacle body I2. The spring I! is curved with the upper end Ild thereof riveted or otherwise secured at I8 to the top flange portion 24a whereby the spring is operatively connected to the front wall of the receptacle body I2. The curved spring I! extends downward toward the bottom 21 of the tray and in the neighborhood of the lower edge of the front wall and at a point adjacent to the plane of the tray bottom is bent and extends rearwardly at I'Ic with the end thereof riveted orotherwise secured at 20, at a region remote from the upper end of spring I1, to the slightly raised portion 25 of the tray bottom which is formed adjacent the front wall of the receptacle body I2. A member 2| connected to an intermediate portion of the spring I'I extends through an opening in the tray front I3 and is provided with a handle 22.

In the use of the above described device, the tray body I2 is filled with water or other matter to be frozen and inserted in the cooling unit III of the refrigerator with which the tray is used. With the tray positioned in the cooling unit, heat is removed from the tray bottom through the shelf, due to the production of cold by the cooling unit, whereby any moisture between the tray bottom and shelf is frozen, thus firmly uniting the parts. The member '2I'is connected to the spring I I in such a manner that, when the member M is pulled forward to remove the tray with its contents, the spring I1 is straightened and the extremities thereof are more widely spaced apart whereby the lower end thereof bears or presses against the shelf I9 and the tray II is forced upward by force transmitted through spring I'l between the tray and shelf to break the ice bond formed between the bottom of the tray and the shelf.

In Fig. 3 a modification of the embodiment just the lower endin the vicinity of the lower edge of the front wall and adjacent to the shelf I9 of the cooling unit. The member 2| is connected to anintermediate portion of the spring Ila in such a manner that, when the member 2| is pulled forward, the spring Ha is straightened to force the tray ll upward and break the ice bond which is formed between the bottom of the tray and the shelf.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that an improved device has been provided for facilitating the removal of ice trays from cooling units. The springs or strips H and Na of resilient material may be formed of any suitable sheet metal having sufficient stiffness to effectively force a tray upward from the surface of a cooling element, in the manner described above, to break the ice bond which is formed between the bottom of the tray and the shelf. When the curved springs. I1 and Ila are straightened by the member 2| they are deformed and assume such a shape or configuration that their lower ends extend downward to exert force on the cooling unit. Since in Fig. 2 the upper end of spring I1 is secured at l8 to the flanged portion of the front wall of the tray body and in Fig. 3 the upper end of spring I'Ia. is disposed in the slot 23 at the top portion of the front wall of the tray body, the straightening of either spring increases the distance between its ends and raises the tray from the shelf of the cooling unit.

In Fig. 2 the lower horizontal part of spring [1 serves the same function as spring l'lb in Fig. 3 but is made integral with the upright portion of spring l'l rather than asa separate member, as in the modification shown in Fig. 3.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an ice freezing receptacle adapted to engage a refrigerated support therefor, of a device on the receptacle for breaking an ice bond between the receptacle and such support, said device comprising a strip of resilient material, and means constructed and arranged to fix a portion of said strip to a part of said tray and to maintain a second portion of said strip at a point adjacent to the plane of the bottom of said tray, said strip being deformable to exert force on said support and transmit suf-.

ficient force to said part of the tray to which said strip is fixed to release said tray from said support.

2. A device for facilitating the removal of an ice tray from its supporting shelf comprising in combination, a shelf, an ice tray having an overhanging front flange, means including a substantially bow shaped strip of resilient material disposed beneath said overhanging front flange, and means for deforming said strip to increase the distance between the ends thereof to exert force between said flange and said shelf for lifting said tray from said shelf.

3. In combination, an ice tray adapted to rest upon a supporting shelf, means for lifting a portion of the tray relative to the supporting shelf comprising a substantially bow shaped resilient member engaging a portion of said tray, means associated with said member for engaging the shelf, and means cooperating with said member for increasing the distance between said last means and said tray to transmit force between said shelf and said portion of the tray engaged by said member for releasing the tray from the shelf.

"4. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of a cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of still resilient sheet metal, means for securing a portion of said strip to one of said side walls of said freezing tray, and means remote from said securing means engaging said strip for maintaining the same in a configuration in which a second portion thereof lies adjacent an edge of one of said side walls of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said second portion thereof extends laterally beyond said edge of said side wall of said freezing tray and in a position to bear against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

5. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of a cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of stiff resilient sheet metal, means for operatively connecting a portion of said strip to one of said side walls of said freezing tray, and means including a member mounted on said freezing tray and positioning said strip for maintaining said strip in a configuration in which a second portion thereof lies in the neighborhood of an edge of one of said side walls of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said second portion thereof extends laterally beyond said edge of said side wall of said freezing tray and in a position to exert force against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

6. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like hav ing bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of a cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of stiff resilient sheet metal having a curved portion, means for operatively connecting said strip to one of said side walls of said freezing tray adjacent one end of said curved portion thereof, and means positioning said strip for maintaining the same in a configuration in which a part of said curved portion of said strip lies in the neghborhood of an edge of one of said side walls of said freezing tray, said curved portion of said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said part thereof extends laterally beyond said edge of said side wall of said freezing tray and in a position to exert forire against an adjacent surface of the cooling un "I. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of a cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of stiff resilient sheet metal having a curved portion, means for operatively connecting the upper end of said curved portion of said strip to the front wall of said freezing tray adjacent the upper edge thereof, and means positioning said strip for maintaining the same in a configuration in which the lower part of said curved portion thereof lies in the vicinity of the bottom edge of the front wall of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said lower part thereof extends downwardly beyond said lower edge of said front wall of said freezing tray and in a position to exert force against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

' 8. A freezing tray for' ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of said cooling unit, said release deivce comprising a strip of resilient metal, means for operatively connecting a portion of said strip to one of said side walls of said freezing tray, and means including a member extending on both sides of said strip adjacent one end thereof and engaging the same for maintaining said strip in a configuration in which a second portion thereof lies in the neighborhood of an edge of one of said side walls of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said second portion thereof extends laterally beyond said edge of said side wall of said freezing tray and in a position to exert force against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

9. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a. release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface .of a cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of resilient metal having a curved portion, means for operatively connecting said strip to one of said side walls of said freezing tray adjacent one end of said curved portion, and means including a member mounted on said freezing tray and extending. on both sides of the opposite end of said curved portion of said strip for maintaining said strip in a configuration in which a part of said curved portion thereof lies in the neighborhood of an edge of one of said side walls of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said part of said curved portion thereof extends laterally beyond said edge of said side wall of said freezing tray and in a position to exert force against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

10. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of the cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of stiff resilient sheet metal having a'curved portion, means for operatively connecting the upper end of said strip to the front wall of said freezing tray adjacent the upper edge thereof and in a position in which said curved portion extends outwardly from said freezing tray, and means including a guide mounted on said freezing tray and embracing the lower end of said strip for maintaining said strip in a configuration in which the lower portion thereof lies in the vicinity of the lower edge of said front wall of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in whichsaid lower portion thereof extends downwardly below said lower edge of said front wall of said freezing tray and in a position to exert force against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

11. In aportable ice freezing receptacle for av with a portable ice freezing mold, of a resilient i strip of metal adapted to engage said mold to be alternately bowed and straightened to transmit lengthwise of the strip a force imposed transversely thereon fdr facilitating removal of ice from the refrigerator.

13. A freezing tray for ice cubes or the like having bottom and side walls and a release device therefor adapted to free said freezing tray from an adjacent surface of a cooling unit, said release device comprising a strip of stiff resilient sheet metal, means for securing aportion of said strip to the exterior surface of a portion of said freezing tray, and means remote from said securing means engaging said strip for maintaining the same in a configuration in which a second portion thereof lies adjacent an edge of one of said side walls of said freezing tray, said strip being deformable to a configuration in which said second portion thereof extends laterally beyond said edge of said side wall of said freezing tray and in a position to bear against an adjacent surface of the cooling unit.

14. The combination with an ice freezing receptacle adapted to engage a refrigerated support therefor, of a device on the receptacle for breaking an ice bond between the receptacle and such support, said device including a substantially bow shaped strip of resilient material mounted on said tray, said strip of material being deformable to space the extremities thereof more widely apart to press against said support and transmit force between said extremities for lifting the tray from said support.

' EVEN W. E. ANDERSSON. 

